Ace Frehley proclaims himself a “street kid” on “Bronx Boy,” the gritty first single from his upcoming eighth studio album, due out this summer. “Bronx boy, just trying to exist/ I never played with toys, don’t give me bullshit,” he snarls over a raw hard rock riff and squealing guitar solos.
The former Kiss guitarist has yet to detail the release date or title of his next LP, which follows 2014’s Space Invader and the 2016 covers record Origins, Vol. 1. Frehley revealed one tantalizing detail about the album last year: he co-wrote two new tracks with ex-bandmate Gene Simmons. The collaboration originated after Frehley reached out to the bassist through e-mail, and they wound up with the songs within three hours of jamming at the guitarist’s house in Ranco Santa Fe, California.
“We initially each picked up an acoustic guitar,” Frehley told DJ Eddie Trunk, according to Blabbermouth. “I don’t remember who came up with the beginning of the song. One guy plays one thing and then I play another thing. I think Gene actually came up with more ideas than I did and I just kind of complemented them. And then I started writing lyrics for a song title, which I don’t wanna give away yet. And then we kind of took a break and then he started playing this bassline and he said, ‘Ace, play these thee chords against it,’ and within thirty minutes we had a second song. I was really pleased, and so was he.”
The duo have performed together several times in recent months – including Simmons’ acoustic performances during meet-and-greet events and their first mutual stage appearance in over 16 years during a Hurricane Harvey benefit.